


The Siren's Song

by bluerose5



Series: The Siren's Song [1]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Conflict, Cultural Differences, First Meetings, Imprinting, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mentions/References to Slavery, Nothing Explicit is Mentioned About That, Pirate!Reyes, Prejudice, Romance, Siren!Scott, Sirens, Some Sirens Eat People, Sort of Cliche but Oh Well, Violence, Younger Reyes & Scott, but not all, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-14 05:31:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14129151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluerose5/pseuds/bluerose5
Summary: Reyes is in enough trouble the first time he meets Scott.Lucky for him, Scott's there to save his life.





	The Siren's Song

**Author's Note:**

> Just some quick notes:
> 
> 1) Reyes and Scott are around the same age in this fic. Reyes is 19, and Scott is the sirens' equivalent.
> 
> 2) If you haven't read "Songs of Love," then you need to know that there's a distinction between sirens and merfolk. Siren's are natural-born water-dwellers, and merfolk are hybrids that are more of the traditional half-human, half-fish.
> 
> If I have any other notes, I'll add them later, but that's it for now.
> 
> Enjoy!

There is a mass migration occurring the day they first meet. 

Although the sirens are a relatively rare species, there are enough of them gathered today to cause concern. Some schools are here voluntarily, chasing the warm waters or pursuing their natural prey. It's not unusual for sirens to live nomadic lives, so migrations are a common occurrence. 

One of this size and magnitude...

Not so much.

So many are gathered against their will, driven out of their homes by fishermen or pirates, a lot of their young left for dead.

And usually, that's an unfortunate reality that many families own up to. Living in the ocean can be wonderful at times, but no ocean-dwelling creature can deny that it's a precarious life lived in an unruly environment. Siren's are happy to have even one child of their clutch survive past its first year, let alone multiple.

But those deaths are to be expected, snatched up by bigger and better predators, all because one adventurous little guppy decided to wander off too soon. _Those deaths_ are as unavoidable as they are inevitable.

Humans, however... Humans are the only other sentient species that can hold a candle to the sirens' intelligence. They are the only ones that can properly reason beyond what is in front of them, yet they don't hesitate to hunt Scott's kind. The humans are brutal, relentless, carving up their young and seeking out their weak.

Apparently, the humans have a large market for siren-derived products. Scales, fins, skin... All of it, sought out for a measly profit. What they are doing is cold-blooded murder, so of course there are widespread complaints when sirens finally discover the Change. No longer is their imprinting limited to their kind, but they can finally seek out others that are worthy to be mated.

After the first of the Merfolk pop up, tensions start to rise, and the sirens are split on what to do.

That's around the same time when the Feasting becomes a popular alternative. Of course, given how all sirens view humans as intelligent lifeforms, the majority objects whenever their kind starts to cause shipwrecks, feasting hungrily on human flesh.

Those sirens twist their songs, corrupting them from their original purpose. They are no longer tools of communication, but they are methods used to fuel their hate. Sirens that partake in the Feasting tend to be unstable, wild and feral, and their minds eventually descend past the point of no return. It's easy enough to single them out in a crowd, and that makes Scott nervous, especially when they detect some among their migration pack.

Ellen and Alec keep close to Sara and Scott then, lashing out at everyone and anyone that ventures too close. A slash of claws is enough to scare most off, but the Ryders are constantly on high-alert.

They already lost their home. They won't lose each other as well.

But Scott isn't even surprised when, on the eighth day of their travels, the ship passes them by, foolishly unaware.

The feral ones attack, and the humans don't stand a chance.

*****

_Drip... drip... drip..._

Vision cloudy and eyes heavy, Reyes does his best to keep his head up, battling the tiredness that seeps eagerly into his bones. All around him, nestled away in their respective cages, other prisoners snooze on without a care in the world. Reyes, as gaunt and drenched as he is, his bones rattling under paper-thin skin, is afraid that once he closes his eyes...

That he'll never wake up.

_Drip... drip... drip..._

Turning his eyes to the bars of his cage, Reyes allows the leaky water to distract him, the pitter-patter of its droplets creating a hypnotizing beat. It's easy to slip across, to submerge into a far-off place. A place where Reyes is something more than-than  _this._

It was supposed to be an easy drop. He had secured his cargo easily enough, and it was in place. He had it, damn it!

Foolish boy that he is, he didn't notice the man in the crowd, the exact same one that had been protecting the cargo, blending in and bustling around.

As soon as they could, they slapped irons onto Reyes' wrists, but not before they beat him to a bloody pulp, making a proper example out of him.

The Raiders could've done worse, could have taken whatever they wanted, with or without permission. Lucky for Reyes, their Captain intervened, just in the nick of time.

He can still feel that slimy hand, trailing down his trembling throat. 

Reyes happily took whatever else they threw at him, willing to suffer through hours and hours of forced labor. Willing to suffer through anything, anything but  _that._

As soon as his body started to wither away, however, overworked and undernourished, they tossed him carelessly down into the brig. Either he would die on the way to one of their outposts, left out for the rats to devour, or he would survive the trip to the marketplace, ready to be sold for a pretty copper, if he could even wrangle that much.

Young as he is, fast approaching his twentieth year, Reyes knows that  _someone_ at the auctions would be more than happy to buy him, even in his debilitated state. They would sequester him away, make him work in some god-forsaken colony, hoping against hope to one day gain his freedom. Or perhaps they would whore him out, make a bit of change from his pain and suffering, so long as everyone else walked away happy.

Whatever they had planned, Reyes isn't one to surrender easily.

When it came down to it, as much as he really,  _really_ liked living, Reyes figured that he would rather take a bullet to the back over losing anymore of his freedom.

He would run the first chance he got, and he would more than likely die trying.

If that meant staying true to himself, even in his final seconds, then so be it.

What Reyes doesn't expect is for the boat to be attacked...

It comes out of nowhere in the middle of the night. One second, he's trying to keep himself awake, in fear of succumbing to the cold darkness surging through his body. The next, the entire vessel is toppling from one side to the next, yells of fury coming from above and shouts of terror coming from below. Everyone scrambles, in search of something _-anything-_ to do.

That's when the shrieking starts, surrounding them from all sides, penetrating the air without a care. Every person on deck covers his or her ears, some bleeding and others not. Reyes' ears ring relentlessly in the aftermath, as if an explosion has just occurred nearby.

Reyes never once gave much thought to religion. But if those aren't the shrieks of the damned, then he doesn't know what they are.

The ship gives a lone, shuddering gurgle, and bits and pieces start to unravel. Its frame shivers and trembles, splintering and unhinging. A single shockwave travels throughout the ship's foundations, and everyone is sent flying in all directions.

White-hot pain travels down Reyes' spine. He collides with the bars of his cage, cracking his skull against the metal, and everything goes black for a second.

Once he's able to recover, his eyesight spinning and swirling in all directions, he coughs up bile and spits it out. Water rushes in all around them, and the dying screams of the ship's crew and their prisoners reverberate in Reyes' skull. His head throbs and pounds, pressure building behind his eye, and Reyes just manages to stand in the knee-high water when he sees it.

At first, he thinks it's an illusion. Surely, he's disoriented, his mind unsettled from the blow. He rubs his eyes, glances, then rubs them again when things don't change. The creature is still in the water, not even a few feet away, tearing one of Reyes' imprisoned neighbors to shreds.

More bile comes up, but Reyes forces it down, gaping at the sight before him. The water is rushing in fast, and it's not till moments later that Reyes hears the bars to his cage being yanked apart, shrieking in protest.

Reyes shuffles desperately back, yelling uselessly for help when he sees the figure in the water, heading directly for him. He has no time before the beast darts forward, circling gleefully around his position, wanting to play.

Its voice flutters up from the ocean, and the first note is like a punch to the gut. Whatever mystic powers the creature has, it attacks swiftly enough, penetrating Reyes' mind with its intoxicating effects. His vision spins, twisting in on itself, but Reyes has no strength in his body, falling to his knees before the creature. The song continues to muddle his mind, and the siren seizes its chance, dragging him under.

Unable to fight, Reyes' body is limp in the creature's hands, paralyzed all the way, through and through. Reyes only has the chance to experience the water filling his lungs before his vision blurs, his fingers twitching one final time.

All that remains is a flash of teeth.

*****

Fighting the feral sirens is never a fun time, but Sara and Scott (along with many others in the migration) refuse to sit by while the humans are so ruthlessly murdered, chewed up and spat out by the worst of their kind.

As soon as the ship is attacked, the others attack the feral ones, trying their best to keep them at bay. Attacking humans in such a soulless way isn't the answer to their problems, it never is, but these sirens are gone beyond all reason. There is no compromise with them. So when they kill the first innocent that dares to speak up against them, it's war.

Along the way of the fighting, Scott eventually loses track of Sara. He finds no traces of Ellen or Alec, so he moves on, clawing his way through, defending himself from any bodily harm. He only kills when he has to.

At least, until he finds  _him._

A human man, being dragged under by another siren, but he isn't just a human man. Not to Scott. 

Scott feels the imprint locking into place, squeezing his heart and tightening his chest.

No, no, no...

Imprinting, whatever it is, is meant to target suitable mates. Whether it's supposed to act as a biological imperative or some type of magical pull, no one can really say, but it's meant to find compatible suitors. It's meant to sort out the person who could be that infamous One.

Of course, it's also partially voluntary. In the end, it's a choice: accept or reject. There's always a choice. The imprint is supposed to act as encouragement, a nudge in the right direction...

So why does Scott feel as if his chest is splitting apart?

Whatever the feeling, he knows that he only has seconds to act, possibly less.

Scott doesn't even think, throwing his body at full speed.

He collides with the feral siren.  _Hard._ His body throbs with pain, but he doesn't have time to linger on that. The other siren has already recovered, hissing violently at him before it dives after his mate.

Using every bit of his willpower, Scott gives chase, colliding with the feral one yet again. This time, they stick together, melting into a knot of tails and claws. They tangle and clash, biting and scratching, and both are littered in wounds by the time that they are done.

Scott doesn't even hesitate when the opportunity presents itself, striking out with the killing blow.

He only regrets being unable to make its suffering last, but there's no time for that.

He swims after his imprint with little time to spare, swooping him up into his arms and dashing off.

Scott doesn't know where he goes or for how long. He merely does his best to breathe air into the man, providing only enough to keep him going on the long journey away.

Eventually, he discovers the island, setting the stranger down on some random outcropping, his breathing unbearably silent.

Scott refuses to let him die.

*****

Reyes doesn't know how long he rests, his time spent suspended in an unusually cold darkness. An unsettling breeze prickles his skin, goosebumps trailing all over. Eventually, life comes rushing back to him in one fell swoop, his eyes darting open to the world around him.

Abruptly, he darts up, knocking his forehead against another. An indignant squawk sounds from nearby, but Reyes takes a moment to rub away the horrid ache in his skull. His mouth is dry, lips cracked, and his throat burns as if he was busy smoking another pipe again. Reyes blinks away the salty sea, only to be met with wide, blue eyes.

"Ah, fuck!" Reyes screams, scrabbling to the other side of the rock. The creature dives back into the ocean, startled, but it - _he?_ \- returns a second later.

This can't be happening. This  _cannot_  be happening...

The siren coos at him, tossing a pebble at him in curiosity, cataloguing his reactions.

Okay... this is happening. Reyes is alive. He's here... with a siren, and this is happening. This is all real.

Reyes pinches himself to check, and yep. All real. 

Can this day get any fucking worse?

Sensing his distress, the siren skirts around the edge of the rock, scowling when Reyes promptly moves out of the way. He does this a few more times before he realizes that Reyes is scampering _away_ from him, ignoring his attempts at comfort. The reality hits, and that pout has no reason to look so innocent on such an unusual creature.

The siren whimpers mournfully, and Reyes feels his heart strings being played, plucked one by one like a fiddle.

Reyes doesn't know why he does so, but he remains still when the siren approaches him again. He swallows thickly, watching with wary eyes while the siren saunters forward, trailing careful claws over Reyes' exposed forearm.

All at once, it's like being struck by lighting, sparks flowing underneath his skin, causing his pulse to race impossibly fast. His heart hammers in his chest, uncomfortably so, so Reyes pulls his hand away, unnerved.

The siren makes several consecutive clicking noises, all of them different to an experienced ear that knows what to listen for, but Reyes hears nothing different in the complex tones, turning away from that saddened gaze. The siren continues to croon longingly, wondering why his potential mate is ignoring him so harshly, especially when their connection is already this strong, pulsing vibrantly with life.

Reyes trembles and takes stock of his environment, ignoring how loudly his teeth clatter.

Wherever they are, they're near land, and there are enough trees nearby for Reyes to get to work. He stands unsteadily on wobbly feet, ignoring the siren's curious prodding while he moves along, careful of the slippery slope.

He's not one to wait around and die, not if he can help it, so first thing is first.

Firewood.

It's easier said than done, in all honesty. Reyes scours the area as best as he can in his sopping wet clothes, looking for any sign of civilization and feeling his hope fizzle out when finds none. Along the way, he picks up any and all pieces that can be used for the fire, whether it be tinder or wood, so long as it is dry.

The sun is setting when Reyes returns to the beach, his arms laden with wood.

All of the timber goes crashing to the ground whenever he hears it, hears  _him._  Reyes shuffles forward to the water's edge, listening to the sorrowful cries of the creature, and he's enamored.

Lights... Brilliant blue lights illuminate the water, changing from blue to purple, from purple to green... The shallows sparkle under the display, and Reyes' mind clouds over, the siren's song dragging him into the water.

The moment that his foot touches the surface, followed instantly by the other, the song stops.

The siren surfaces, just so its eyes are above the water, watching Reyes with a mixture of pain and distrust. Reyes doesn't understand why he feels bad for him, or so he tells himself.

Against all of what his instincts are screaming at him, he takes another step forward and then another.

He only stops when the edge of his torn trousers skims the surface of the water. Reyes doesn't want to have to sleep in soaked clothes again, daring fate to bless him with an illness, so he takes them off without hesitation. His shirt is tossed back first, followed immediately by his pants. They land in a pitiful pile on land, and Reyes admires how the water warms his skin, even once day turns to night.

He's stupid. So, so stupid... One of these sirens just tried to kill him, and he's going swimming with one?

Well, never let it be said that Reyes shies away from adventure...

Or idiocity.

Either way, brave or dumb, he submerges himself into the water. The siren stares at him in awe, as still as stone, as if he is holding his breath in pure excitement. Reyes reaches a hand out, and the siren chirps, absolutely beside himself. To Reyes' bewilderment, the siren springs forward into his touch, pressing his cheek against Reyes' palm, grasping his wrist in an iron-clad grip.

Reyes wouldn't have as much of a problem with it if his claws didn't immediately slice through his skin, causing rivulets of blood to flow free.

Reyes gasps in pain, bending his arm instinctively under the pressure.

"Okay," Reyes hisses. "Okay, okay... you need to let go."

Scott stares at him in confusion, brows furrowing, until he notices the wounds on his wrist. He immediately cries out in distress, dropping Reyes' skinny arm like it's on fire. Distantly, he stares at the blood coating claws, not wanting to believe that he is the cause of this. Reyes goes to reassure him, to remind him that he's perfectly fine, but Scott is already rushing into the water, his glowing body darting out of sight.

Reyes stares after him, slack-jawed, his bloodstained hand raised after him in a fruitless attempt to make him return.

Ignoring the sudden breathlessness that runs through him, Reyes rubs at the soreness resting beneath his sternum, making his way slowly back to land.

It takes him quite some time, too much for his ego to handle, but he eventually gets a fire going. He sits beside it until his clothes are completely dry, sand and salt drying on rough skin. His head starts to loll to the side, and Reyes snaps it abruptly back into place, blinking blearily at the roaring flames.

His eyelids blink. One, twice... Over and over until he finally dozes off.

It can't be more than a few hours later when Reyes jolts awake in bitter darkness. He's forced awake by a loud squawking, and he's on his feet in record time, searching for any impending threats. His fire is little more than embers by now, but that doesn't stop him from looking blindly around, swaying on his feet in exhaustion.

Soon enough, he catches sight of the water and -more importantly- the glowing figure dashing around said water.

His bare feet sink into the sand in his rush to get to him, but Reyes slows on approach, watching Scott meet him halfway in the shallows.

Making sure to keep his bottom set of gills in the water, Scott's set on his throat immediately close up once they make contact with the air. He coos hoarsely at Reyes, water filtering in the back of his throat, beckoning the human forward with a gentle curl of his fingers. Reyes, somehow powerless to resist, surges forward on shaky legs, knees hitting the sand as soon as he's within reaching distance.

Scott flashes him a grin, pointing wordlessly at Reyes' wrist. Reyes hesitates for only a second before he offers up his wounds for inspection. Scott snatches up the wrist, along with a handful of bright green vegetation, tossing the greens into his mouth so that his salivary enzymes activate the precursor agents. Once the mixture is ground into a nice, squishy mush, Scott spits the concoction out and presses it into the wounds before Reyes can properly object.

Scott applies steady pressure, ignoring Reyes' heated curse. Fluid and blood drain from the wound, and Reyes yanks back at the burning sting, sneering at Scott. Scott gazes back, unimpressed, and keeps the mush in place, tightening his grip. Reyes only stops struggling when the stinging subsides, a pleasant numbness crawling in its wake. Scott takes that as a sign of sorts, dunking Reyes' skin into the water to wipe away the grimy remains.

What emerges is definitely Reyes' arm, no doubt about that, but what takes him a moment to wrap his head around is the fact that all signs of his previous wounds have  vanished. There's only smooth, perfect skin, no visible sign of scarring or infection. Reyes turns his arm this way and that, trying to find some tiny imperfection. A sliver, a blemish, a mark of some sort... Just anything at this point.

When he turns back to Scott, gaping, the young siren titters in amusement, already awaiting his reaction with a smug grin. The bastard is actually mocking him, and Reyes can't help but to laugh aloud, rubbing his hands down his face in disbelief. This whole day has been a mess, and it only gets a bit more bewildering when Scott sidles up to him, cuddling into Reyes' side with a contented purr.

Reyes flushes, glancing down into Scott's trusting eyes, and he feels his heart flutter in response. He's so, so close, and Reyes suddenly can't breathe, choking on his nerves.

Scott looks up at him from beneath his lashes, eyes locked solely on Reyes' parted lips. Reyes inhales deeply, his breaths shuddering free from his lungs. Both of them lean in at the same time, lips brushing once, feather-light, before Reyes buries his hand into Scott's wet hair, crushing their lips together roughly.

He doesn't know what possesses him to do it, but Reyes... Reyes doesn't want it to stop. Scott angles his head to the side, their noses brushing together, and he pulls away with a throaty whimper. Reyes chases after his lips, not wanting it to end yet, and they dissolve further into their kiss.

With a giddy, nervous sound, something akin to a giggle, Scott pulls away once again. He taps his three fused fingers on Reyes' mouth, smiling with glee. It's a stupid, dopey grin, one that Reyes wants to kiss away, but he can respect the distance.

Part of his mind is still wondering what the hell is wrong with him.

Scott merely stares at him, high off of the imprint, their new bond surging with emotions of all kinds. Endorphins rush through his system, and Scott is wonderfully pliant, closing his eyes in a permeating bliss.

Reyes stands up, and his hands start shaking.

"I-" He clears his throat. "I need sleep."

Without waiting for an answer, Reyes turns on his heels and goes to rekindle his fire. Once he manages that, he ignores his companion's questioning noises, covering his ears until he succumbs once more to a deep slumber.

He swears that he won't let it happen again. What went on between them tonight cannot be repeated, at any costs.

It only takes two days before it happens again.

*****

It's almost half a year when a vessel finally comes to take Reyes away. Despite all of their time spent together, Scott expects it by then. They both do. Both of them know that Reyes cannot stay with him forever.

Although Scott really wants him to.

After his departure, catching a ride back to port with a wayward fisherman, Scott wonders how long it will be before Reyes returns.

_If he returns,_ a traitorous voice whispers.

That voice can go to hell.

Reyes promised to come back. He  _will_ come back. They're mates, after all.

Then why does it feel like Scott's heart is slowly breaking?

Days and days pass by. Days turn to weeks, which turn into months. Eventually, after devoting every hour and second to perfecting their nest, Scott spots a ship -a  _large_ ship- sailing on the horizon. It anchors far away in the ocean, but it's close enough for a rowboat to drop, approaching the island with a single passenger.

Scott darts away into the cave, watching from its entrance. His heart races, thumping against his ribs, and he hopes that whatever stranger this is will leave in a hurry.

Scott doesn't want to hurt anyone, but he's fully prepared to defend his territory, should it come to that.

He remains hidden until he gets a full view of his visitor, gaping in shock. Scott can't hold back his shrieks of excitement, splashing through the water with a cutting pace. Reyes turns to him after he tends to his boat, smiling widely at him.

If he were human, Scott would surely be crying from joy, but -be that as it may- he can only sob as he wiggles onto the sand, his gills snapping into place.

Decked out in his full ensemble, from the hat atop his head to the boots protecting his feet, Captain Reyes Vidal approaches his mate for the first time in months. Scowling at his beloved, he scoops him up off of the blistering hot sand, carrying him bridal-style.

"Rey!" Scott chirps, still sobbing as he cups his face. "Miss. _Miss_!"

Reyes' eyes soften, gentle and apologetic.

"Sorry, I came back as soon as I was ready." Reyes glances away guilty, walking down the beach in the direction of their cave. "I had to get some things in order before I returned. There's still so much to do..." He notices Scott squirming in distress, wondering if Reyes was leaving already. His crestfallen expression is enough to leave Reyes backtracking. "I'll be here for awhile, my love."

Scott stares at Reyes, lower lip wobbling.

"You mean that?" Scott rasps, his gills already becoming unbearably dry. It doesn't escape either of their notice that Reyes quickens his pace at that, unwilling to cause Scott any unnecessary discomfort. Scott swallows thickly, his voice uncharacteristically small. "Love? You mean 'love?'"

Reyes catches onto Scott's meaning, frowning at him in disbelief.

"Of course I do," Reyes says. "Scott, cariño, my mate..." Reyes kisses his brow as he steps into the cave, lowering his lover into their nest. "You know you're mine, just as I am yours."

Scott whimpers at that, leaning forward to capture Reyes' lips with his own. They kiss for a solid minute, embracing each other tightly in response.

Reyes chuckles, brushing Scott's hair behind his ear, eyes lowering with desire.

"You're so beautiful," Reyes whispers, kissing Scott again. "Gods, I missed you so much, cariño."

Scott chuckles softly, his subvocals bordering on hysteria.

"Miss," Scott whispers, tapping on Reyes' hand. He caresses Reyes' face, basking in their bond, their love. Reyes' eyes flutter close, and Scott is lost, falling deeper and deeper. He cups Reyes' face in both of his hands, cooing softly. "Love." He clicks his tongue, huffing at his horrible attempts at articulation, but he needs to say it, say _this_. "I-I love _you_..."

Reyes beams at him, and Scott preens in pride, his dorsal fin fanning out and settling down, wiggling in excitement. Reyes rewards him with a kiss, grinning wickedly, eyes hooded.

"Should I show you how much I love you?" Reyes hums, and Scott chuckles lightly, biting his lip with sharpened teeth.

"I show you too," Scott offers. "Song? Can sing for you?"

"Do anything you want with me, cariño," Reyes teases, stripping off all of his gear. Scott watches in awe, his soul fluttering in delight.

"Beautiful," Scott sighs appreciatively. "So beautiful."

Before Reyes can reply, Scott is already there, dragging him into the water and breathing life into his lungs. Reyes tangles his fingers in Scott's hair, refusing to let go, and Scott starts to sing against his lips, his mating song clouding Reyes' mind.

It's a song orchestrated uniquely for him. It's a song that means the world to Reyes. It's a lighthouse in the dreaded night, a port after the endless voyage. It's the beacon that helps him through it all, and Scott is nothing less than his safe haven.

Whatever they have, whatever this is, pirate or prisoner, human or siren, he wouldn't trade  _this_ for anything in the world.

Reyes never believed he was worthy of this. He still doesn't, but what he deserves doesn't matter. Scott wants him, for better or for worse...

And Reyes will spend the rest of his days making his siren happy, no matter what. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies! <3


End file.
